A decent morning weather wise with full cloud cover on a SW>4 at 10 degrees but the afternoon was hot and sunny at 20 degrees on a SW>5.
Just the usual species during the morning and all the activity was in the sky late afternoon . Firstly a gang of 8 Raven came over Tattie Pie Hill from the direction of Gorple with at least 2 juvs, only to be met by 6 Crows, 5 Lapwing and 7 Curlew though only the Crows climbed high enough to do battle with them. After about 10 minutes the Ravens headed back over the west ridge and back towards Gorple.
Secondly a Lesser Black Backed gull got too close to an Oystercatcher ,which is holding territory, and was immediately seen off in a mad air battle over the water with the gull giving up and settling back on the north shore.
The last battle of the afternoon was a Kestrel over the top field arousing 4 Curlew and 3 Lapwing sending the raptor off >N.
So at last, something to watch other than scoping for waders which is getting slightly monotonous now , as it always does in June and early July. I know where every wader up there can be found along with every chick and juv and getting to know them on first name terms.
The 4 new Lapwing chicks out in the open mud have surprisingly survived their first night and were still dashing around the mud today whilst the 2 Ringed Plover juvs seem a bit reluctant to fly very far as yet but luckily the adult female is still active and hopefully not going for a second brood.
Fly Flatts
2 Ringed Plover + 2 fledged juvs at 24 days old
2 Oyk
6 Common Sandpiper
2 Redshank
8 Raven
6 Carrion Crow
1 Kestrel
+ usual sp.
BS